2011: Our Year in Review.

According to my phone, there's quite a bit I did in 2011 that I didn't blog about.

So, I present to you, 2011: Our Year in Review - according to pictures from my phone.

Of course, we ushered in 2011 with a new baby. Our little Evan was just a week old when we rang in the new year. A newborn sleeps a lot, and I've got quite a few photos of my brand new babe doing just that in the month of January.


It was also the month I ventured out on my own with two kids - if you count meeting up with some friends at Monkey Joes as going out on my own. All in all, January was a laid back month - with lots of hanging at home, sleeping and enjoying our very funny two year old.



February changed Lane's life forever. Oh, you thought that happened back in December 2010? Wrong.

In February, James and I casually decided to take Lane out for a night with just his mama and papa. We left Evan at home for the first time and took Lane to see Monster Jams.

Every day since, we've talked about Monster Jams and played with Monster Jams.

Best night ever.

Also in February, I celebrated my first Valentine's Day as a mama to two. Evan slept, slept some more and got very sick - causing us to make our first trip to the ER. And, Val and Jay made a quick trip down south to find a new home before becoming official Georgia residents.

March is always a rough month for me. It is cold and dreary. I'm ready for spring. I'm tired of being in the house. March 2011 didn't disappoint.

When I think back over the last year, I have to admit that March was probably my toughest month as a mama - or so I thought.

I'd been taking care of a newborn for three months. I was tired of being stuck inside. My body was full of post pregnancy hormones. And nursing hormones. And synthetic hormones since I started taking the mini-pill that month.

I never blogged about it but I came down with a little case of postpartum blues in March.

I felt inadequate as a mama. I felt like I wasn't giving enough as a wife. I hated the way my body looked. I hated the way I felt. My house was ALWAYS a mess.

All of that combined with the never ending case of RSV that lingered from February until April made for a couple of yucky months for this mama.

It was such a temporary time - easily recognized for what it was by myself and my husband. Easily fixed by dumping those nasty pills in the trash.

For what it is worth now, I look at all the pictures I took in March and I am amazed.


March, it turns out, wasn't so bad.

In fact, it was amazing. Sure, I might have taken Lane to Monkey Joes one too many times - as given by the fact that I had a lot of pictures from that place in my phone and one of the last ones is that picture of Lane lying flat on the floor - but look at all the other photos.

My babe's eyes opened and his wonderful cheeks got chubbier and that delicious head got even rounder. He cracked a smile and started holding his head up - way up. He continued to amaze me with his laid back personality and ability to sleep any where and through just about anything.

And Lane. Look at Lane. His Monster Jam collection grew. He started dabbling in potty training. And James and I had a few awesome nights out with just our big boy.

Note to myself: Don't let March 2012 get you down mama. Your boys are awesome. And, your not so bad yourself.


Unfortunately, April didn't do much to make me feel better.

It was a slow month around our house. Even my pictures show it.

Thank goodness for my boys. Even though I spent a few weeks in a slump, I never once felt sad about my boys. Most of my sadness was directed at myself. In fact, being with them was one of the only things that made me feel good.

The babe continued to blossom in April - smiling more, spending much more time awake and even enjoying the Exersaucer.

This was also the month the boys really started to notice one another. We had a chill month - going to parks, visiting the zoo, nursing a bunch, and taking yet another trip to Monkey Joes, where Lane enjoyed a cupcake.

I attempted to take a picture of the boys with an Easter Bunny at Lane's school party, which didn't go over to well. And, most importantly, I had my first night out without either one of the boys when Val's sister, and my childhood bestfriend, Kristina, came in to town. Oh, and it was Papa's first time to take care of both boys on his own for an extended period of time - with Jay's help. That night might not have gone over so well. But, I'm proud to say he's a pro at taking care of two now.

We said hello to the sun and farewell to my funk in May. My confidence soared when I carted three boys around the zoo one afternoon - Lane and John Oscar in the stroller and Evan in the Bjorn - making me wonder if I just might be able to handle one more boy one day.


All that sun did a baby good and Evan's size proved it. The boy burst out of all his clothes and sent me to the store to buy nine month clothing for my five month old. He also grew out of his carrier, and we were forced to move him into a big boy carseat. (Rear facing, of course.)

We got out almost every day. I started doing Zumba. The whole family went to James' parents' lake house for a weekend. Lane went fishing. And, Evan figured out Monster Trucks weren't just for big boys.